1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retractable rear under view mirror system provided rearward of an automotive vehicle for ensuring a rear under field of view from a driver's seat of the vehicle, and more particularly to the retractable rear under view mirror system which is positionable in a stored position where a mirror assembly is stored at a rear upper portion of the vehicle, and a use position where the mirror assembly is extended.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A retractable rear under view mirror system has been proposed in a Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 1-127430 for example to improve a configuration of a van-type automotive vehicle, wherein a rear under view mirror is fixedly secured to an external surface of the vehicle to extend rearward thereof. In the mirror system disclosed in this publication, there is formed a recess at a rear end portion of the van-type vehicle which has a rear door hinged at its upper portion. A mirror assembly is retractably disposed in the recess, and actuated by a mirror actuating device to be extended out of the recess for ensuring the rear under field of view from the driver's seat. The mirror actuating device is energized by a manual switch operated by the driver of the vehicle. As an embodiment, there is provided a spoiler for reducing a lift created at a rear portion of the vehicle, or a deflector, and the recess is formed in the spoiler for receiving the mirror assembly.
In Japanese Patent Publication for opposition No. 3-28342, is proposed an apparatus for ensuring a rear under view of a vehicle, which includes a movable stay mounted rearward of the vehicle, a mirror fixed to one end of the stay, a clutch for holding the stay at a certain position and releasing it when an extraordinary force is applied to the stay, a mirror driving mechanism for moving the mirror between the certain position and a retracted position, a manual switch for moving the mirror as intended by a driver, and a control device. According to this control device, the mirror will be moved from the retracted position to the certain position, when a transmission has been shifted to a reverse gear and then the manual switch has been operated. Whereas, the mirror will not be moved, when the transmission has been shifted to the reverse gear after the manual switch was operated, but will be moved if the manual switch is operated for moving the mirror to the retracted position. Thus, in this apparatus, the manual switch has a priority for moving the mirror.
Also, in Japanese Utility model laid-open Publication No. 62-4441, a retractable rear mirror apparatus for a van-type vehicle, or a truck having a box-type rear body or the like is proposed. In this apparatus, a mirror stay is rotated by a motor in response to operation of a manual switch at a driver's seat to move a rear mirror from its retracted position to a certain position, and hold the mirror at a certain angle by means of a swingable bracket, a spring for biasing the bracket to rotate, and a stopper for positioning the bracket. When the mirror is retracted, the mirror is rotated by a biasing force of a spring to be positioned at an appropriate angle for retracting movement.
However, according to the above-described rear under view mirror apparatus, it is necessary for a driver to operate the manual switch in order to move the mirror. In other words, the actuating apparatus for moving the mirror in the normal direction or the reverse direction has not been fully automated. Therefore, its operationability is to be improved. The driver may not move the mirror as desired. For example, the driver may leave the vehicle with the mirror extended.